Scott Wagner has refused to revoke his co-sponsorship of Senate Bill 974 which would amend the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act to cover “sexual orientation” and “gender identity or expression”. Moreover, Senator Wagner seeks to obfuscate the effect of the proposed amendment. He denies that it would give persons the right to use the bathrooms of the opposite sex. However, the express terms of the amendment bar discrimination according to sexual identity in public accommodation facilities. That language, in plain English, includes public bathrooms, no matter how much Senator Wagner seeks to confuse the voters.
Furthermore, as explained in an ebook published by the Pennsylvania Family Council, similar laws in other states “have been used to limit freedoms of speech, conscience, and religion.” Furthermore, the ebook cites as examples the case of Jack Phillips in Colorado and the case of Baronelle Stutzman in Washington State. Mr. Phillips was prosecuted for failing to make a cake to celebrate a same-sex “wedding”. Ms. Stutzman was prosecuted for failing to create flower arrangements to celebrate a same-sex “wedding”. The proposed amendment, by prohibiting sexual orientation discrimination in the provision of the advantages and privileges of public accommodation, would facilitate such prosecutions in Pennsylvania.
In addition, the proposed amendment expressly gives employees the right to wear the clothing of the opposite sex while on the job.
Also, the proposed amendment calls for the creation of councils and agencies to issue publications to “promote good will and minimize or eliminate discrimination because of … sexual orientation, gender identity or expression” and calls for the Commission in cooperation with the Department of Education to recommend a multicultural educational program to promote appreciation of sexual orientation and sexual identity or expression. In other words, the proposed amendment would empower the government to harangue persons who have moral objections to homosexuality and transgenderism and/or transvestism; and no doubt portray persons voicing moral objections to homosexuality, transgenderism, and transvestism as hateful bigots. I see that as state-sanctioned anti-Christian discrimination. Does state-sanctioned normalization of homosexuality and transgenderism mean that Christians will be viewed by the state as enemies of the state?